Cremation talents in need to meet demand

China has a general lack of skilled crematorium workers, despite the rising popularity of cremation among Chinese people.

According to latest data available from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, cremation was the method chosen for around half of all funerals in 2012. However, due to weaknesses in professional training and education, there is a shortage of crematorium workers.

Sun Yulin, an official from the ministry's professional skills evaluation center, said that out of China's more than 82,000 undertakers, only 20 or so were senior crematorium workers with advanced certification and fewer than 200 had technician certification for cremation.